Illinois State Fairgrounds: Springfield, IL

The Short Track and TT motorcycle races take place 

at 

" The Arena " (Saturday nite)

The MILE 

at the grandstands . . .Sunday

I think I saw my first Mile here in 1990 or 1991 ?

. . .  I rode an 883cc Sportster (chain rear) all the way !
The mile track is one of the oldest and most historic race tracks in these United States, and the world.

All the motorcycle racing greats have raced and won here . . .

 The race celebrated 50 years in 1987 - Big Noot was there that day . . .

Dave Despain put me to work at the Hall-of-Fame Race.

The Mile is still run (2 times) per year !

The great Jim Davis raced at Springfield.

Scott Parker has the most wins on the Mile 

(and if I'm not mistaken, still holds

the track lap record and fastest speed)

Other great milers were: 

Ricky Graham, Chris Carr, Bubba Shobert and Carrol Resweber

Mile wins for the Harley-Davidson XR750 may be ending soon ?

The greatest dirt-track engine ever produced. This may be one of the last years to hear it, and feel all 45 cubic inches at 130mph, with your face up against that chain link fence, the number plate pushing the air past you before the bike and rider shoots past in a blurr, on the fastest-mile-in-the-world . . . the black, dirt gumbo from the Sangamon River Valley which was ox carted to build the fastest dirt mile racing surface.  The small, jockey-build riders tucked in to achieve the greatest speeds needed to win.  Lap after lap.  Pass after pass.  Truly a spectacular show of racing to behold - I've never seen anything like it.  

 The man to beat, the favorite to win by the narrowest of margins:  

Bryan Smith #42

Can Brad "The Bullet" Baker or
"The Jammer" Jared Mees get that Kawasaki ? 

Harley vs. Kaw

I can't wait - When you're in the stands and the first riders pull out on the track, single file, one after one for time trials from the pits and start cranking them thru the gears - and pull a big wheelie for all the fans . . . that's the best - that's when you know you're in for a treat of a race !

_____________________________________

If it wasn't for this guy, I'd have no idea what the Springfield Mile was . . . Here's a shot of my dad just before we went into the historic Stadium Bar for a delicious cheeseburger and a cold beer.  We got on our phones and tried calling all the Springfield "regulars" back home - to see who was coming?  Nobody was coming.  It ended up being just us two that rode down last year.  I hope a few more come this time, it was a great weekend of racing.  I just can't wait . . .